Late Tuesday night, tragedy struck on Carter Road in Owensboro when 32-year-old Tyler Hamilton lost his life in a collision with a pickup truck at the U.S. 60 Bypass off-ramp. He was ejected from his bike and later died of injuries sustained in the crash.
According to Kentucky State Police Post 16, the wreck happened around 8:42 p.m. as a trooper patrolling Carter Road reported discovering a crash near the off-ramp and then notified dispatch. What followed would turn a routine patrol into a fatal investigation.
In the preliminary report, Hamilton was riding a 2007 Kawasaki motorcycle, heading south on Carter Road. He failed to stop at a red light at the U.S. 60 Bypass off-ramp. At the same time, 22-year-old Dylan Cook of Philpot was pulling a 2023 Toyota Tacoma from the ramp, turning north onto Carter Road. The motorcycle struck the driver’s side bed of Cook’s truck.
The force of the crash threw Hamilton from his bike. Emergency crews reached the scene, rendered aid, and rushed him to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, where he later passed away. Cook and a passenger in his vehicle suffered minor injuries and were treated on site; neither needed to be hospitalized.
Cook’s Toyota sustained heavy damage on the driver’s side, and motorcycle wreckage was strewn across the roadway, prompting temporary closure while investigators processed the scene. Trooper Joseph Richling is heading the ongoing inquiry, with reconstruction efforts underway to piece together exactly what transpired. So far, authorities have not publicly confirmed whether speed, impairment, or mechanical failure had roles in the crash.
To build a full picture, troopers plan to review nearby surveillance video, interview witnesses, and analyze vehicle damage. The Kentucky State Police thanked several local agencies for their cooperation on scene, including the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, Owensboro Police, Daviess County Fire, and Emergency Medical Services.
The community is in mourning. Hamilton, known by friends as a passionate rider and devoted family man, lost his life far from home in a crash that underscores the dangers motorcyclists face—especially at intersections and at night when visibility is reduced. Authorities continue to urge all drivers and riders to stay alert at intersections, obey signals, and keep safety front and center on every trip.
